Device for operating railway-switches



(Nb Model.)

I I J. P. OBER.

DEVICE FUR OPERATING RAILWAY SWITCHES.

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: UNITE a-STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. OBER, on NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

DEVICE FOR. OP'ELRATING RAILWAY-SWITCH ES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,229,'dated March 26, 1895.

Application filed September 29, 1894- Serial No. 524,497. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: v Be it known that 1, JOHN ROBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Operating Railway-Switches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a device for operating the switches on street railways, and is designed as an improvement upon theinvention set forth and described in the Letters Patent granted to me August 14, 1894:, No. 524,487; the object being to provide at a comparatively small expense a durable and eificient means for shifting the switch points by the manipulation of the foot so as to afiord at all times perfectfreedom of both hands of the driver or attendant of the car.

Other objects and advantages will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, infwhich Figure'l, is a plan View illustrating a rail- -way switch and portion of a pair of tracks with a part of a car equipped with my improvements. Fig. 2, is a vertical, sectional view of a portion of the platform of a car with my improvementsapplied, and shown partly in section. oscillatory frame.

Referring by letter to said drawings:-.-A, and B, indicate the broken and unbroken main track rails of a railway; O, and D, the switch points, which are pivotally connected to said rails. V

E, indicates a. transverselyslidable rod which connects the points adjacent to their toe ends, and is arranged in suitable guides I F. The rod is provided ata point midway of its length with a vertically-disposed stud G.

H, indicates a forked or bifurcated arm which is pivoted at one end to a cross tie or other support in the roadbed and its bifurcation or fork is designed to contact with the stud onthe rod seats to enable the same to will presently appear.

Fig. 3, is a perspective viewof the.

The devices thus far described form no part of my present invention as they are'all set forth in my Letters Patent above referred to; being here illustrated simply for the purpose of affording a better-understanding of my improvements andtheir mode of operation.

1, indicates the platform of a car, which may be either'the'front or rear platform,.as it is desirable in cars that run in opposite directions without turning, toequip both platoscillate beneath the platform I. The arm I), 'may be formed integral with the tube and may'have at its oute'rend on its upper side a boss 0, which takes througha vertical hole or aperture d, in the platform and thishole or aperture may be lined' with a metal tube as shown at e, to take up wear; The boss is screw-tapped centrally at its upper end as shown at f, and is reduced circumferentially as shown at g. The reduced portion g, should be of an angular form in outline to receive the angular aperture h, of an arm K; a screw 71, being employed to secure the arm upon the boss. The depending tube J, is provided at its lower end with an internal, annular flange Z, to form a bearing for the lower end of a coil or spiral spring L.

M, indicates a vertically-movable plunger.

This plunger passes through the tube and is encircled by the spring L, therein. The plunger also passes through a hole or aperture m, in the forward end of the arm K, and it is provided at a point below the tube with a collar or stop n, and at a suitable distance from its upper end a collar or stop 10, which its designed to move within the tube, and together with the annular flange Z, of said tube,

limits the expansion of the spring. The plunger is also .provided 'at its upper end with a foot piece q, and passes through the curvilinear slot .a, of the platform I. By this construction, it will be seen that the plunger will be held normally raised by the action of the spring, and when it is desired to throw the switch by contacting with the forkedlever, it

is simply necessary for the driver or attendant to press his foot upon the part q, so as to force down the plunger. A suitable stop'may be provided for preventing the plunger from being thrown too far down, or the foot piece may be placed at such a distance from the upper surface of the platform, as to prevent this. Should it now be necessary to move the switch points in an oppositedirection, the driver or attendant should first throw the plunger laterally in the curvilinear slot a, by the toe of his boot and then press his foot upon the part q, until the plunger has been brought into contact with the opposite side of the forked lever. With a device of this character, it will be seen that the driver-is free to use both hands in caring forhis horses and the brake, or the mechanism of any motive power that might be used; it requiring the use of one foot only to manipulate the operating mechanisn.

\VhileI have described very specifically the construction which I have shown, yet I do not wish to be confined to the exact construction and combination of parts which I have. described, as I am aware that many modifications maybe made by a skilled mechanic.

In some cases the arm K, might be dispensed with, and the arm I), pivotally connected to the platform in any suitable manner.

\Vhile I have shown and described my im provements in connection with a railway having two movable switch-points, and the points connected, yet it is obvious that said improve ments can be used on a road having but one pivoted point. In fact the improvements may be used on a road of any suitable construction.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A car having its platform provided with the transverse slot at, in the floor thereof,in combination with an oscillatory tube depending therefrom and with its mouth opening into said slot and a spring-surrounded plunger passing through the tube and also through the slot above the tube and having a foot piece at its upper end, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a car having a platform provided with a transverse slot; of a who arranged beneath the same, and having a bracket arm pivotally connecting it with the platform, the plunger having the stops and taking through the tube and also having a foot piece atits upper end and its lower end adapted to contact with a switch operating mechanism and a spring arranged within the tube and surrounding the plunger, substantially as specified.

3. The tube having the internal, annula'r flange at its lower end, and also having the arm provided with the vertical boss; the plunger arranged in said tube and having the collar near its upper end and the collar below the tube and also having the foot piece, the spring surrounding the plunger within the tube and the arm attached to the boss and also having a hole forthe passage of the plunger, the whole adapted to be attached to the platform of a car, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses:

. JOHN F.3OBER.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. WILSON, J NO. J. WARD. 

